Critical Success Factors for Addressing Discharge Inefficiency at a Large Academic Medical Center: A Lean Six Sigma Approach

Background: Delayed discharges can be a systemic issue. Understanding the systemic factors that contribute to discharge inefficiencies is essential to addressing discharge inefficiencies.

Purpose: This article reports on a Lean Six Sigma approach and the process to identifying inefficiencies and systemic barriers to early discharge in a large US academic medical center.

Methods: A qualitative methodology guided this project. In particular, direct observation methods were used to help the project team identify factors contributing to discharge inefficiencies.

Results: Overall, findings suggest that establishing consistent multidisciplinary team communication processes was a contributing factor to reducing the inefficiencies around discharges. On a more granular level, key barriers included disparate communication systems, disruptors (specifically Kaizen bursts), and unique role challenges.

Conclusions: This article provides a framework for addressing discharge inefficiencies. Because the output of the process, a critical contributor to the overall outcome, is often not analyzed, this analysis provides value to others contemplating the same or similar process toward discharge efficiency.